Buoyancy control system



8, 1946. M G, LEONARD 2,409,135

BUOYANGY CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Aug, 5, 1944 BY @MZK ATTORNEY Patented Uct. 8, 1946 BUOYANCY CONTROL SYSTEM Merrill G. Leonard, Sharon, Pa., assignor to Westnghouse Electric Corporation, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application August 5, 1944, Serial No. 548,279

My invention relates to torpedoes, and more particularly to a speed and depth control for the exercise head of a torpedo.

The Government of the United States has been granted a-certain royalty-free license for governmental purposes with respect to the invention herein described.

Pitot tube type of speed indicating devices have been known in the torpedo art, and other arts, which devices have been used to control the electrical system of a torpedo.

It is an object of my invention to provide a single unitary structure for producing an effect responsive both to speed and depth of a torpedo or other vessel.

Another object of my invention is the provision of controlling the operation of the exercise head of a torpedo by means of a unitary speed and depth relay.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a relay having switch contacts diierentially acted upon by the pressure oi the iluid outside of the torpedo and the rate of now of the fluid with reference to the torpedo.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become readily apparent from a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawing, in which: l

Figure 1 is a schematic showing of the exercise head of a torpedo including an electrical system of control shown diagrammatically,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of Aa speed and depth relay with certain parts broken away to show the details of the relay; and

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the relay with the bottom closure removed.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, I designates the exercise head of the torpedo, and 2 the mounting ilang'e, which mounting flange vis welded to the head to provide a hermetical seal between the upper inner cont-our of the head and the suitably shaped annular portions of the mounting nange.

The mounting flange has a ledge 3 which is provided with an annular groove for receiving a gasket of rubber or neoprene or some other similar material. Disposed over this gasket is a circular closure member 4 held down by a plurality of screwsfl. This closure member has a plurality of openings at the central region and to a cylindrical shoulder portion disposed about the openings is brazed or soldered the Sylphon bellows 5. This Sylphon bellows has a lower inverted dishshaped closure 5 provided with a strip of insulating material held against the bottom face thereof by screws 8 and a suitable electrical contactgS,

10 Claims. (Cl. 114-20) provided with a pigtail type of connection (not shown), is mounted in the insulating member 1. The inverted saucer-shape member and insulating member l provide a hermetic closure of the lower end of the Sylphon bellows. Since the Sylphon bellows is open to the sea water by virtue of the central openings through the closure 4, the bottom contact is acted upon to'move vertically with changes of pressure of the sea water acting within the Sylphon bellows.

A suitable U-sh'aped bracket IIJ is riveted to the top of the closure member 4 for pivotally holding the scoop le. This scoop has a link II pivotally secured to it at the left of the pivot for the scoop, and the scoop, as shown, projects upwardly towards the left, that is, toward the front of the exercise head of the torpedo. A suitable latch I2 is pivoted at the left on another U-shaped bracket I2 secured to the closure member 4, and this latch is also so disposed with reference to the exercise head contour that water owing from left to rightV with reference to the head will tend to actuate the latch member in a clockwise direction. The upper end of` the latch member projects through an opening I3 at the right-hand end of the portion of the scoop acted upon by the water so as to hold the scoop in the position shown be- 'fore the torpedo is i'ired. To the right of the i pivot for the scoop I position a compression spring I3' between the closure member li and the right end or tail end oi the scoop so as to bias the scoop for rotation about its pivot in a counterclockwise direction. No counterclockwise direction of rotation is, however, effected while the latch I2 is in the position shown. This is so because the latch is provided with a cam portion I4 preventing theA latch member I2 from rotating in a counterclock: wise direction.

Secured to the lower( surfacel of the closure( member 4 is a dependingchannel member I5. This channel member is provided with a transverse pivot pin IB for receiving the bearing ears I6 of the L-shaped member I'I. A compression spring I3 is disposed between the vertical leg of the `L-shaped member II and the lower end of the depending channel member I5 to thus bias the I -shaped member for rotation in a clockwise direction. The horizontal' leg of the L-shaped member ll carries a strip of insulation upon which is mounted a Contact I9. This contact, by suitable pigtail connection (not shown), is connected to the control circuit hereinafterdiscussed more in detail. To calibrate my relay, the contacts Q and I9 have to be properly spaced in relation to each other. This adjustment is accom- 3 plished by the screw 20 engaging the base of the channel member I5 and the vertical leg of the L-shaped member above the pivot I5. It is thus apparent that by suitably positioning the screw 2U, the spacing between the contacts 9 and I9 may be adjusted.

The Sylphon bellows is sealed hermetically from the inner space of the exercise head by a housing 2l, so that no ballast liquid can get into the housing 2 i A suitable conduit 22 is connected hermetically to the housing and this conduit carries the electrical conductors connected to contactsA 9 and I9 back to. that portion of the torpedo not filled with ballast fluid. It is thus apparent that the gas pressure within housing 2l will be substantially atmospheric or the pressure maintained in the portion of the torpedo other than the exercise head.

After the torpedo is fired and the torpedo moves through the water on its own power, the speed of the water acting on the scoop l0 will rotate the scoop IG in a clockwise direction about its pvot suiiiciently to release the latch member l2, which thereupon rotates in a clockwise direction. The forward or left-hand of the scoop is lifted sufciently to release the upper end of the latch so that it now projects into the cutout portion 25 ofthe scoop. The scoop thereafter is thus free to rotate about its pivot, such rotation being, of course, effected by the relative forces of the biasing spring and the force of the water flowing against the scoop. Since the link connected to the scoop is pivotally connected to the bottom closure of the Sylphon bellows, it will be noted that the contact 9 is acted upon both by the pressure of the iiuid outside of the exercise head and by the flow of the fluid with reference to the torpedo. If the torpedo sinks below a certain depth, the pressure of the iiuid will bring contacts 9 and I9 into engagement. On the other hand, if the torpedo stops for any reason, the action of the scoop tending to move contact 9 upwardly ceases and contacts 9 and IS are also engaged. It is, therefore, apparent that contacts 9 and IB are brought into engagement when either the torpedo is operating at too great a depth or is not moving through the water, or

in Vrelation to its function of the torpedo head,

reference may be had to Fig. l, which shows so much of the electrical control as is necessary to know in-conjunction with certain of the operations of the head herein discussed. The torpedo includes a number of elements other than those shown in Fig. 1, but so far as my present invention is concerned, it suffices to show only so much ofthe electrical control and switches as enter into, the function of my present contribution to the art.

After the torpedo is fired, the gyro transfer switch 32 through suitable intermediary mechanism becomes closed. Closure of the gyro transfer switch establishes a circuit from junction 30 of the battery, through the over-speed switch 3l, the gyro transfer switch 32, actuating coil 33 of the motor starting switch 34, contacts 35 of the stop relay 3.to the junction 38 of the battery B.

Operation'of the motor starting switch closes the contacts 39, whereupon the propulsion motor M is energized and the torpedo is thereafter propelled onits own power. A suitable controller Cis, 'through a reduction gear 40, connected to the propulsion shaft of the motor and thus con- 4. trols the sequence of operation of its contacts 4|, 42 and 43 in the order named.

If no emergency of any kind arises that should require that the ballast fluid be expelled from the exercise head before the end of the run, the controller will in due time be actuated so that the controller segment bridges contacts 4| and y42, whereupon a circuit is established from junction 30, through the firing cap 44 of the high pressure carbon dioxide bottle 44', conductor 45, contacts 42, 4I and 39 to junction 38. Operation of the firing cap opens the valves 3T between the carbon dioxide iiask and the exercise head and the carbon dioxide thereupon expels the ballast fluid through valve 50 from the exercise head. The timing of the controller is such that when the blow-off operation has been completed, contacts 4l and r43 are bridged by the controller segment, whereupon a circuit is established from junction 3i), through conductor 46, the actuating coil 47 of the stop relay 36, contacts 43, El and 39 to junction S3. The operation of my system of control just described is the normal one.

However, in the event of any emergency requiring that the ballast iiuid be removed from the exercise head before the end of a run as, for instance, if the torpedo begins to sink or for any reason has stopped moving through the water, or both, my speed and pressure responsive relay closes the contacts 9 and i9, whereupon a circuit is established from junction 30, through the firing cap 4d, contacts 9 and i9 to junction 38. It is thus apparent that my special speed and depth relay provides for ease in recovery of the torpedo in the event the normal blow-oli devices `do not function.

While I have described and shown but one embodiment of my speed and depth relay, in combination with a system of control, I am aware that others particularly after having had the `beneit of the teachings of my invention, may probably readily devise devices for similar purposes. I do not, therefore, wish to be limited to the particular showing made but wish to be limited only by the scope of the claims hereinafter appended.

I claim as my invention:

v l. For the control of the exercise head of a torpedo vwhich is filled with a ballast liquid, as water, to balance the torpedo and to give it a predetermined negative ,buoyancy and which exercise head is associated with a source of gas under relatively high pressure for expelling the ballast liquid from the torpedo exercise head, in

combination, a source of electric energy, electrically actuated buoyancy control Vmeans for `connecting, the gas pressure of the source of relatively high'pressure, to the'V interior of the exercise head to cause the expulsion 0i' lthe ballast liquid .from the exercise head, electrically actuated timing means set in operation by the ring of the torpedo for causing the operation of the buoyancy control means a predetermined time after firing of the torpedo, switching means for causing' the operation of said buoyancy control means independent of the timing means, and means responsive to both the pressure 'of the water outside of the torpedo and the speed of the torpedo with 'reference to the water outside of the torpedo for `causing the operation of said switching means.

`2. For the control of the exercise head of a torpedo which is filled with a ballast liquid, as water, 'to balance the torpedo and to give it a predetermined negative buoyancy and which exlicense 'S ercise head is associated with a source of gas under relatively high pressure for expelling the ballast liquid from the torpedo exercise head, in combination, a source of electric energy, electrically actuated buoyancy control means for connecting the gas pressure of the source of relatively high pressure to the interior of the exercise head to cause the expulsion of the ballast liquid from the exercise head, electrically actuated timing means set in operation by the firin g of the torpedo for causing the operation of the buoyancy control means a predetermined time after ring of the torpedo, switching means for.

causing the operation of said buoyancy control means independent of the timing means, and means responsive to the pressure of the water outside of the torpedo for causing the operation of said switching means. l

- 3. For the control of ther exercise head of a torpedo which is illed with a ballast liquid, as water, to balance the torpedo and 'to give it a predetermined negative buoyance and which exercise head is associated with a sourceY of eas under relatively high pressure for expelling the ballast liquid from the torpedo exercise head, in f combination, buoyancy control means for connecting the gas pressure of the source of relatively high pressure to the interior of the exercise head to cause the expulsion of the ballast liquid from the head, said buoyancy control means including a conduit connection, electric means for opening said conduit connection, and switching means for connecting the electric means to a suitable source of electric energy, timing means set in operation by the ring of the torpedo' for causing the operation of the switching means a predetermined time after firing of the torpedo, pressure responsive means for causing the operation of said switching means independent of the timing means, and means responsive to the speed of the torpedo with reference to the Water for causing the operation of said switching means. l

4. For the control of the exercise head of a torpedo which is filled with a ballast liquid, as water, to balance the torpedo and to give it a predetermined negative buoyancy and which exercise head is associated with a source of gas under relatively high pressure for expelling the ballast liquid from the torpedo exercise head, in combination, buoyancy control means, including a fuse and electric means for igniting the fuse, for connecting the gas pressure of the source of relatively high pressure to the interior of the exercise head to cause the expulsion of the ballast liquid from the exercise head, timing means set in operation by the firing of the torpedo for causing the energization of said electric means for ring the fuse, which fuse, when caused to explode, opens a connection of the gas under pressure to the interior of the exercise head to thus cause the expulsion of the ballast liquid from the head, and means responsive to the pressure of the water outside of the torpedo for also causing the energization of said electric means for firing the fuse.

5. For the control of the exercise head of a torpedo which is lled with a ballast liquid, as water, to balance the torpedo and to give it a predetermined negative buoyancy and which exercise head is associated with a source of gas under relatively high pressure for expelling the ballast liquid from the torpedo exercise head, in combination, a source of electric energy, electrically actuated buoyancy control means, including a connection, a fuse, and electric means foi ring the fuse, for .connecting the gas pressure of thevsou'rce of relatively high pressure to the interior` of the exercise head tocause the expulsion of the ballast liquid from the exercise head, electricallyactuated timing means set -in operation` by the firing of the torpedo for causing the energization of said electric means for firing the fuse, which fuse, when caused to explodeopens said connection of the gas under pressure to the interior of the exercise head to thus cause the expulsion ofV the ballast liquid from the exercise head, and means responsive to the speed of the torpedo with reference to the water forv causingr the energization of said electric means for ring the fuse. i

6. For the control of the exercise head ofa torpedo which is filled with a ballast liquid, as water, to balance vthe torpedo and to give it a predetermined negative buoyancy and which ex,- ercise head is associated with a source of gas underlrelatively high pressure for expellingcthe ballast liquid from the torpedo exercise head, in combination, a source of electric energy, electrically actuated buoyancy control means for connecting the gas pressure of the source of relatively high pressure to the interior of the exercise head to cause the expulsion of the ballast liquid from the exercisehead, saidbuoyancy control means including a connection, a fuse, and electric means connectible to said source for iiring the fuseelectrically actuated timing means set in operation by the firing of the torpedo for causing the energization of said electric meansfor firing the fuse, which fuse, when caused to ex,- plode, opens said connection of the gas under pressure to the interior of the exercise head to thus cause the expulsion of the ballast liquid from the exercise head, means responsive both tothe speed of the torpedo With reference to thewater and the pressure outside of the torpedo to cause the energization of said electricgmeansfor firing the fuse. f

7. For the control of the exercise head of a torpedo which is lled with a ballast liquid, as water, to balance the torpedo and to give it a predetermined negative buoyancy and which exercise head is associated with a source of gas under relatively high pressure for expellingthe ballast liquid therefrom, in combination, a source of electric energy, electrically actuated buoyancy control means for connecting the gas pressure of the source of relatively high pressure of the interior of the exercise head to cause the expulsion of the ballast liquid from said head, said buoyancy control means including a connection, a fuse, and electric means for ring the fuse, electrically actuated timing means set in operation by the ring of the torpedo for causing the operation of the buoyancy control means a predetermined time after the iiring of the torpedo, biased movably mounted means for causing the energization of said electric means when moved to a given position, pressure responsive means for causing the biased movably mounted means to -move toward said given position proportional to the pressure of the water outside the torpedo, speed responsive means also acting on said movably mounted means to cause the movement, of said movably mounted means, away from said given position proportional to the speed of the torpedo with reference to the Water.

8. With the exercise head of a torpedo which is filled with a ballast liquid, as water, to balance the torpedo and to give it a predetermined negative buoyancy 'and which exercise head is associated with a source of gas under relatively high connection .between the source of gas under pressure and the interior of the exercise head, said means including a pivotally mounted scoop normally biased to be flush with the contour surface of the exercise head, latching means normally holding the scoopoutwardly from the exercise head so as to be acted upon by thespeed of the water with reference to the torpedo, said latching means being also responsive to the speed of the water to release said scoop, a Sylphon bellows acted upon by the pressure of the water outside of the torpedo, said Sylphon bellows having an element movable with changes of pressure of the water, a coupling between the scoop and the element to also cause movement of the element proportional to the speed of the water with reference to the torpedo, and means acted upon by a, predetermined movement of the element for causing the opening of the connection between the source of gas under pressure and the interior of the exercise head.

9. With the exercise head of a torpedo which is lled with a ballast liquid, as water, to balance the torpedo and to give it a predetermined negative buoyancy and which head is associated withv a source of gas under relatively high pressure having a connection to the interior of the head which connection, when opened, causes the expulsion of the ballast liquid in the exercise head and the lling of the head with the gas from the source of gas to give the torpedo a positive buoyancy, the combination of, control means for opening the connection between the source of gas under pressure and the interior of the exercise head, said means including a pivotally mounted scoop normally biased to be flush with the contour surface of the exercise head, a Sylphon bellows acted upon by the pressure of the water outside of the torpedo, said Sfylphon bellows having an element movable with changes of pressure of the water, a coupling between the scoop and the element to also cause movement of the element proportional to the Speed of the water with reference to the torpedo, and means acted upon by apredetermined movement of the element for causing the opening of the connection between the source of gas under pressure and the interior of the exercise head.

l0. With the exercise head of a torpedo which is lled with a ballast liquid, as water, to bal- -ance the torpedo and to give it a predetermined negative buoyancy and which head is associated with a source of gas under relatively high pressure having a connection to the interior of the exercise head which connection, when opened, causes. the expulsion of the ballast liquid and the filling of Vthe exercise head with the gas from the source of gas to give the torpedo a positive buoyancy, the combination of, control means for opening the connection between the source of gas under pressure and the interior of the exercise head, said means including a pivotally mounted scoop normally biased to be flush with the contour surface of the exercise head, latching means normally holding the scoop outwardly from the exercise head so as to be acted upon by the speed of the water with reference to the torpedo, said latchingA means being also responsive to the speed of the water to release said scoop, a Sylphon bellows acted upon by the pressure of the Water outsideV of the torpedo, said Sylphon bellows having an element movable with changes of pressure of the water, la coupling between the scoop and the element to also cause movement of the element proportional to the speed of the water with reference to the torpedo, means acted upon by a predetermined movement of the element for causing the opening of the connection between the source of gas under pressure and the interior of the exercise head, and means for adjusting the predetermined movement of said element to thus calibrate or adjust, the control means.

MERRILL G. LEONARD. 

